Human Impact on the Environment:

1

• Human Impact on the Environment
• The Role of Modern Family Planning

2
Population Growth Globally

• Population Growth worldwide population growth
  driven by less developed countries

3

The Guatemala Story real world examples
4
Introduction
United States
Guatemala
5
Population Growth in Guatemala

• 1950 - 2.9 million 2008 13 million By 2050
  27 million
• 40 of population under 15 73 under 35

6
Environmental Impact simple math
Better nutrition ? less stunting, higher IQs.
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Environment Impact(continued) Simple math

• Dividing the family-farming plot 2 ways instead
  of 6 ways.
• Pressure to cut trees for firewood.
• Pressure to clear forests for more crops and
  grazing
• Deforestation is responsible for nearly 20 of
  global greenhouse gas emissions
• Slowing growth could reduce conflict over water
  rights especially for water hungry agriculture.

8
Rural Environment

• Growing population puts pressure on environmental
  resources
• Deforestation to clear land for farming and for
  energy
• Endangered species
• Waste and pesticides destroy clean water sources

1986
Sierra del Lacandon National Park
1999
9
Urban slums Environmental Impact

• Insufficient water lowering the water table
• Contaminated surface and ground water

• Open cooking fires air pollution

10
Millennium Development Goals
FAMILY PLANNING DIRECTLY AFFECTS
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Making the Connection

• Prevention of unwanted births today by family
  planning might be one of the most effective ways
  to preserve the planets environment for the
  future.
• - John Cleland, London School of Hygiene
  Tropical Medicine

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Beyond the Environment

• Improved Health
• Improved Education
• Poverty Reduction

13
Current FP programs in the developing world are
reaching 500 million women empowering them to
prevent

• 187 million unintended pregnancies
• 105 million induced abortions
• 22 million miscarriages
• 60 million unplanned births
• 215,000 pregnancy-related deaths
• (includes 79,000 maternal deaths related to
  unsafe abortions)

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Why is WINGS Necessary?

• Highest fertility rate in Latin America - 4.6
  children 8 child average for poorest 20
• Teenage pregnancy 44 have a child by age 20
  24 have a child by age 18

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Why is WINGS Necessary?

• Only 43 of women use any family planning method

• Only 31 of women use a modern family planning
  method

• 27.6 report an unmet need for family planning
  (including 39 of indigenous women)

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WINGS Family Planning Program

• EDUCATION
• Educational talks provided in a group setting
• Individual counseling and home visits

• SUBSIDIZING METHODS
• 6 stationary 3 mobile clinics
• 17 Family Planning promoters
• 87,045 years of protection
• provided to couples in 2008

17
Youth WINGS - Peer Education

• WINGS trains youth peer
• educators - 78 active

Youth peer educators provide information and
referrals to peers
18
Family Plannings Return on Investment
A 15 million expenditure to reduce the
unmet need for FP would generate at least 133
million in savings and prevent 600 maternal
deaths and 85,000 child deaths by 2015
19
Leave you with a question which only you can
answer.

• Beyond my chosen professional work and family,
  what can I do as one person living in the U.S. to
  give the world a chance of surviving with
  reasonable well being another 50 years?

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ANY QUESTIONS?

• Possible answers
• Visit www.wingsguate.org to learn more about
  WINGS and the need for family planning and
  reproductive health in Guatemala
• Advocate for U.S. policies that help bring family
  planning and reproductive health to the
  developing world
• Support grassroots organizations that are making
  a difference
• Spread the word about the importance of family
  planning to protect the environment, reduce
  poverty, and improve health